Hey Torti,

Sorry or the tardy response, been busy.

I look forward to your “proper response”, but in the mean time:

You said: “Surely when you look at how the queen responded to the temple that Solomon built; at the grandeur of the temple, even the materials used for the tabernacle - they all spoke of God’s greatness.”

- First: If you examine the text (2 Chron 9:1-8) you will notice that it was the wisdom of God in Solomon that she was taken by, although she did also mention the temple and it’s trappings. Wisdom is a spiritual attribute from the Lord (of course if it’s not worldly but Godly wisdom 1 Cor 3:19) which is greater than material things.

Also, are we to admire the queen of Sheba’s worldly views and adopt them for our own; was she not a pagan queen? It has been recorded that “power and riches could not satisfy Sheba’s soul, for she possessed an ardent hunger for truth and wisdom. Before her visit to Solomon, she says to her people:”
“I desire wisdom and my heart seeketh to find understanding. I am smitten with the love of wisdom…. for wisdom is far better than treasure of gold and silver… It is sweeter than honey, and it maketh one to rejoice more than wine, and it illumineth more than the sun…. It is a source of joy for the heart, and a bright and shining light for the eyes, and a giver of speed to the feet, and a shield for the breast, and a helmet for the head… It makes the ears to hear and hearts to understand.”

“…And as for a kingdom, it cannot stand without wisdom, and riches cannot be preserved without wisdom…. He who heapeth up gold and silver doeth so to no profit without wisdom, but he who heapeth up wisdom - no man can filch it from his heart… I will follow the footprints of wisdom and she shall protect me forever. I will seek asylum with her, and she shall be unto me power and strength.”

“Let us seek her, and we shall find her; let us love her, and she will not withdraw herself from us, let us pursue her, and we shall overtake her; let us ask, and we shall receive; and let us turn our hearts to her so that we may never forget her.” [1]

Even she saw the supremacy of celestial attributes over material accumulation and grandeur. Don’t believe every view that you’ve heard regurgitated by rapacious out-of-context prosperity preachers.

Also, are we to take the same demonic route as many of the evil false religions of the world, like Buddhism and the likes, which have golden temples and idols everywhere while the common people are stricken with poverty. One only needs to take a trip to Myanmar (Burma), among other places, to see this atrocity being played out on a grand scale.

You also said: “However, more importantly, they were a meeting place for God’s people and God - a place of interaction, learning, discipleship, worship and dare I say it, fellowship.”

- You will not find NT scripture that even hints that we are to have these Constantinian cathedrals as our gathering place for “interaction, learning, discipleship, worship and fellowship.” In fact, it is both biblically and statistically proven that our past, and sadly present for most, congregational structures have severely retarded the most part of the Christian population, in varying degrees, form maturing in a worthy manner in the very biblical activities you mentioned. Neither Jesus, nor the first century church, assembled in such manner but rather lived perpetual spiritual lives throughout society, meeting primarily from house to house to break bread and for “interaction, learning, discipleship, worship and fellowship” among other things.

“Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?” (Acts 7:48-49)

We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. (Heb 8:1-2)

I didn’t write the article in question, and I don’t think it is thorough enough in its identification of worldly systems in the “church”, i.e. senior pastors, hideaway halls (congregations) and the like, but I do think that he nailed some good points.

Peace
Bretto

[1] Budge, Sir Ernest A. Wallis, translator, THE QUEEN OF SHEBA AND HER ONLY SUN MENYELEK, (THE KEBRA NEGAST), Oxford University Press, London, 1932, chapter 24.

I didn’t write this article but I did post it on the site as I thought it was a worthy contribution to the current literature that God is using to free people from desert Christianity.

You said: “do we denounce miracles worked in these buildings”

-God’s miracle working has nothing to do with “these buildings” but rather the hungry hearts and the manifestation of His Spirit. Jesus said “Go you into all the world [...] And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:15-18) Huddling the saints together in these happy hideaway halls actually retards most of the saints in their calling, which is to “go” and do miracles whilst preaching the gospel. Many modern “ministers” parade around the stage claiming the kudos for miracles that God has done, by just lingering in the limelight rather than opting for obscurity.

“do we discredit their anointing”

-Buildings don’t have anointing, people do.

“do we discredit their leadership?”

-Most of the leadership involved in both mega and minor churches is extra-biblical and counterproductive to a worthy advancement of the kingdom of God. Again, these systemic sanctuaries are “headed up” by man made positions that bask in the limelight as they become stage strutting superiors, taking the emphasis off the pew perching patrons who should be the activated army. Feel free to read my ‘Underground Leadership’ articles on this site for clarity on New Testament leadership in stark contrast to much of modern church leadership.

“at what point do you stop honouring men and women of god for their small churches then start dishonouring them … is it 50 members, 100 members, 1000 members?”

-Jesus and the early church modelled the way to live out the kingdom of God every day. Neither of them participated in the temple, synagogue or cathedral like systems or organisations, but rather met primarily “house to house” as well as in many public places, including the temple court. It was a number of humanistic decisions by people like Ignatius and Constantine that huddled the saints together in congregations, eventually outlawing house gatherings and other gospel get togethers hat didn’t have a “clergy” member present. This is the Godless roots of congregational gatherings, whether 50, 100 or 1000 plus. Because these “churches” are outside of God’s design for the New Testament church, corruption is inevitable. Of course their will be leaders who are more naturally talented at building an organisation, hence the mega churches, but we do err to suppose that it is God blessing their work as God only blesses the “true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” (Heb 8:2) God only blesses and builds His spiritual building, not man’s.

You finished by saying: “brother … i don’t feel this is a fruitful topic of discussion … lets go love someone”

-It is a fruitful topic that is surfacing more and more as the Lord has His way and as the saints grow more and more discontent with the kingdom of man masquerading as the kingdom of God. I agree we should focus on loving people, but that invariably requires speaking the truth and exposing the false.

I seriously doubt that the author of this article is motivated by anything other than love in writing this piece as he is surely opening at least a few eyes to the bondage of man’s ways.

Peace
Bretto

do we denounce miracles worked in these buildings
do we discredit thei annointing
do we discredit thei leaderhsip?
at what point do you stop honouring men and women of god for their small churches then start dishonouring them … is it 50 members, 100 members, 1000 members?

brother … i don’t feel this is a fruitful topic of discussion … lets go love someone